Africa needs its own voices to tell its science stories, experts say

Scientists, journalists and communication specialists say Africa must invest in a new generation of science communicators capable of translating complex research into accurate, accessible and locally relevant stories.

Africa needs to strengthen the capacity of its own scientists, journalists and communicators to explain emerging technologies and counter misinformation if the continent is to build public trust in science, experts have said.

Speaking during the sixth and final webinar in the Truth Under the Microscope series, experts said scientific evidence alone is not enough if communities cannot understand it, relate it to their lives or trust those communicating it.

The webinar, titled “Rising Voices: Preparing Africa’s Next Science Communicators,” brought together specialists from journalism, academia, public health research and science communication on September 10, 2026.

The series is organised by the BioTRUST Institute and African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium (AGBC), in partnership with the Elizabeth R. Griffin Programme at Johns Hopkins University.

Opening the webinar, AGBC Chief Executive Officer Rosalia Omungo said African researchers, communicators, young people and communities should have a stronger role in determining how science on the continent is discussed both locally and internationally.

She said African-led narratives could make scientific information more relevant to communities, strengthen public trust and help correct incomplete or externally defined accounts of African science. The webinar identified technical jargon, misinformation, inadequate funding and weak mentorship pipelines among the barriers facing emerging communicators.

Moderator Alanna Fogarty, Senior Analyst at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and Research Associate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said science communication was becoming increasingly important as societies grapple with complex and rapidly evolving technologies.

She said having good evidence was only part of the equation because people also need to understand what the evidence means, why it matters and whether they can trust the people and institutions communicating it.

Fogarty said African-led science communication should go beyond simply delivering information to African audiences.

It should allow African researchers, journalists, institutions and communities to shape the stories, priorities and questions surrounding science while recognising communities as active participants rather than passive recipients of information.

Science communication must start with the audience

Keynote speaker Dr. Lydia Ouma Radoli, Director of Open, Distance and e-Learning at Daystar University, described science communicators as an essential bridge between researchers and society.

She warned that academics often produce knowledge primarily for fellow researchers and policymakers without adequately considering the wider audiences that scientific discoveries are ultimately expected to serve.

Radoli said effective science communication requires communicators to understand their audiences before deciding how to package a message.

Communities, policymakers, investors, journalists and global audiences should not be treated as one uniform public because each group has different levels of knowledge, priorities, concerns and information needs.

Listening, she said, was therefore as important as speaking.

Communicators should understand what audiences already know, their concerns, language barriers and information habits before deciding how much detail, evidence and technical language to use. Messages should then be tested with their intended audiences and improved using feedback.

Radoli also urged science communicators to replace unnecessary jargon with plain language while preserving scientific accuracy and to use local languages, familiar examples and culturally relevant storytelling.

She said platforms including social media, podcasts, video, radio and newsletters provide different opportunities to reach audiences, but communication should encourage dialogue rather than merely broadcast information.

Accuracy and ethics critical

The webinar also placed strong emphasis on fact-checking, transparency and ethical communication.

Speakers argued that communicators must verify scientific claims and data using credible sources, openly explain uncertainty and avoid exaggerating findings.

Radoli said communities should be treated as partners in the communication process, with communicators listening to their knowledge and experiences and creating opportunities for questions and feedback.

She also called for closer collaboration between scientists and communicators from the early stages of research so they can jointly understand the evidence, terminology, limitations and potential areas of misinformation before findings reach the public.

The webinar identified evidence translation, storytelling, fact-checking, digital content creation, media literacy, ethical communication and community listening among the competencies required by the next generation of African science communicators.

Journalists must retain independence

Senegalese journalist and media leader Hamadou Tidiane Sy, meanwhile, drew a distinction between science communication and independent science journalism.

Sy warned scientists and institutions against viewing journalists simply as channels for delivering institutional or scientific messages.

He said collaboration between scientists and journalists was important, but journalists must maintain independence in how they interrogate evidence and report scientific issues.

His contribution focused on preparing Africa's next generation of science journalists in an information environment increasingly shaped by misinformation and rapidly changing digital platforms.

Researchers and media must bridge their divide

Dr. Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja Bureau Chief of The Guardian Newspapers in Nigeria, said there remained a significant gap between researchers and the media.

She said research institutions and academics frequently fail to make their findings sufficiently accessible to journalists, leaving potentially important research unable to reach the wider public in language ordinary people can understand.

Onochie argued that effective communication was fundamental to development because people require credible information to make informed decisions.

She said science communication could help influence policy and regulation while encouraging public participation and strengthening trust.

From training to practical opportunities

Senior researcher Antonio Nkondjio Christophe focused on the practical structures required to develop emerging communicators, calling for sustained mentorship and communities of practice involving scientists, journalists, regulators and community engagement specialists.

He proposed regular interaction where practitioners could examine communication challenges, receive feedback, share resources and develop stories instead of relying on one-off training events.

He also advocated train-the-trainer models through which experienced participants could receive advanced preparation and subsequently deliver workshops within universities and professional networks.

The webinar heard that training should be accompanied by real assignments, editorial feedback, portfolios, professional networks, fellowships and access to scientists and media professionals.

Fogarty said simply telling young communicators to improve their skills would not be sufficient.

Emerging communicators also require opportunities to practise, mentors who can provide feedback, professional networks and pathways through which they can build sustainable careers.

Participants were encouraged to move from discussion to practical action, including producing public-facing stories based on African research and developing content for different audiences.

One proposal was for emerging communicators to select African research and turn it into products such as a local-language community explainer, short video and one-page policy brief, demonstrating how the same scientific evidence can be adapted for different audiences.

The broader ambition is to develop a generation of African science communicators who are visible, skilled, ethical and confident — and who can eventually mentor those who follow them.

For the speakers, strengthening science communication is therefore not simply about producing better stories. It is about ensuring that African voices, knowledge and experiences play a central role in shaping how science affecting the continent is understood, debated and ultimately used.